Aviation DVDs

On September 4th 1949, the largest land plane ever to be constructed in Britain took to the skies from Filton airfield, under the control of test pilot Bill Pegg. The 230ft wingspan of the Bristol Brabazon MK 1 cast shadows upon thousands of spectators, who were witnessing the fruition of a 12m project. This revolutionary aircraft was designed to convey 100 passengers across the Atlantic in complete luxury. When the Brabazon project was cancelled in 1953, the giant machine had logged 400 hours of flight test, but it would never fulfil the crossing to North America. With the help of unique archive footage, and stunning photographs, you can now re-live the Brabazon's full and fascinating history: from its conception in 1943 through to a sad demise ten years later.

It remains a miracle that a 90 ton aircraft could crash into a residential area without any loss of life to those on the ground. Sadly, the 15 man crew of the Bristol Britannia prototype G-ANCA all perished in November 1957, but this film bears testimony to these pioneers of civil aviation development. Eye-witness accounts and dramatic photographs blend with recollections of test pilots Godfrey Auty and Walter Gibb, who twice broke the world altitude record. There is also a fascinating record of Bristols contribution to aviation history, including some wonderful archive film.

Bristol has been at the heart of Britain's aircraft industry since the pioneering days of the early 20th century. With the help of rare archive film, fascinating photographs and informed comment this presentation celebrates the city's proud aviation heritage. The instigator of Bristol's aircraft industry was George White, a locally born businessman of humble origins, who was later knighted for his achievements. Already experienced in the manufacture of motor buses and trams, he was an interested observer in the Wright Brothers' early experiments in powered flight. This provided the inspiration to begin his own aircraft production, and the Bristol and Colonial Aeroplane Company evolved at the top of Filton Hill. The former tram shed was adapted to house the assembly of Bristol's first aircraft, the Boxkite. With the outbreak of World War One, the Bristol Scout, a fighter aircraft, defended the country against Zeppelin airships as they crossed the channel. The end of hostilities saw a massive reduction in demand, and the Great Depression spelt hard times for the company, which needed to revert to the production of buses. However, with another European war looming, in 1935 the government decided to modernise the R.A.F.'s archaic resources. Consequently, the Britain First, a very highly advanced aircraft for the time, was developed at Filton. This led to the production of the Blenheim and the Beaufighter, both of which played a key role in the Second World War. The importance of Filton made it a strategic target for Nazi Germany, and both the works and the surrounding residential area suffered devastating air raids. Peacetime brought a new challenge, and the company once more diversified with the production of cars and prefabricated buildings. Soon afterwards, the Brabazon and Britannia projects emerged, followed by the Type 188, the last aircraft to carry the Bristol name. Bristol's role in the development of Concorde is also featured, together with an overview of the company's evolution into the Airbus industry of today.

The full story of arguably the most successful aeroplane ever to be produced in Bristol. In July 1948 the Ministry Of Supply submitted an order for three Bristol 175 type aircraft, following ideas developed by the Brabazon committee. Brabazon III ran in parallel with the ill-fated Brabazon project and eventually became known as Britannia. Its development was riddled with setbacks, as two aircraft were lost in test flights, and there were technical problems with the Bristol Proteus engines. The Filton workforce overcame these hurdles and the Britannia became the first aircraft to carry 100 passengers non-stop both ways across the Atlantic. The story is enhanced by the memories of test pilots Walter Gibb and Godfrey Auty, together with recollections of key personnel who helped to design and build the Britannia. Extensive archive film, illustrating Britannias promotional tours of the 1950s, and remarkable photographs provide a stunning visual backdrop to this fascinating documentary.

This is the most comprehensive record of the worlds only supersonic airliner: the full story of Concorde from the drawing board to her 30th birthday in 1999. With the help of unique colour film and photographs, you can experience the signing of the historic agreement between Britain and France and the early development of supersonic test aircraft at BACs Filton site in the early 1960s. Initial production on both sides of the Channel is featured, as well as an impressive roll-out ceremony at Toulouse, where leading political figures deliver their optimistic forecasts for the project. You will hear from people involved at all levels of the design and production process, including Concordes Chief Engineer, Dr. Bill Strang, as well as electricians and machinists. The voice of Raymond Baxter describes the first flight at Toulouse in dramatic style. Brian Trubshaw, who piloted Concorde 002 on her maiden flight from Filton to Fairford on April 9th 1969, recalls his part in aviation history in an enlightening interview. Now that Concorde has retired, this documentary assumes a new historical importance, and is sure to be a treasured souvenir for everyone who has been captivated by this magnificent aircraft.

Concordes final flight on November 26th 2003 will remain unforgettable in the hearts and minds of thousands of people. This production is a comprehensive account of that special day, featuring film captured by cameras positioned throughout the Bristol area, from vantage points such as Bristol Cathedral, Cumberland Basin, Purdown, Horfield and residential tower blocks. Concorde, the supersonic dream that became a reality, finally came to rest at Filton near Bristol, 34 years after its first flight from the very same airfield. The Concorde project occupied more than 23,000 employees in Bristol, and many thousands elsewhere, including the factory at Toulouse in France. Filton has experienced the excitement of many first flights, but the scenes captured on this special souvenir film will never be repeated. Many thousands of loyal Concorde fans lined the A38, as well as footbridges and rooftops for the best possible view as senior Concorde Captains Les Brodie and Mike Bannister steered the youngest of the Concorde fleet, GB0AF back to its spiritual home. Spectators could also enjoy a long fly-past that included Filton, Henbury, Avonmouth, Portishead, Clevedon, Weston-super-Mare and Central Bristol, and areas such as Downend, Kingswood, Yate and Winterbourne. A treasured reminder of the only passenger aircraft to travel at twice the speed of sound, on the very boundaries of space.

The Concorde fleet has now been grounded, but there is still enormous interest in the aircraft, and much for enthusiasts to see, as this souvenir presentation reveals. It includes a new appraisal of Concorde's technical advances, with the help of people who contributed to the aircraft's evolution, such as former Senior Flight Operations Officer Bob Griffin, and former Project Director Dr. Peter Calder O.B.E. It also features a comprehensive overview of the decommissioning and relocation of Concorde aircraft to museum sites. You will see where Concorde can now be viewed, and you can re-live the historic journey of GBOAA from Heathrow along the River Thames to its new home at the Museum Of Flight in East Lothian. Concorde 216, the youngest of the fleet, is featured at its new home in Filton, where it is open to public viewing. The 'Speedbird' remains close to people's hearts, and public reaction to the retirement of the fleet is also featured, together with a look at the possibility of Concorde returning to the skies with the Save Concorde Group. An unmissable treat for Concorde fans everywhere!

This is the story of the largest passenger airliner ever built, the Airbus A380. Highlights include historic film of its first flight at Toulouse in April 2005, spectacular footage of its maiden UK arrival at Heathrow Airport in May 2006 and a dramatic fly-past over the Bristol area. Airbus clearly believe that big planes - not more frequent flights - will be the preferred way to handle large numbers of fliers in the future. Their new double-deck, four-engined airliner, the Airbus A380, is designed to provide the solution. This presentation is a tribute to a record-breaking aircraft, which is poised to set new boundaries in worldwide aviation.

At the outset of World War II, US and UK Military Aircraft designs were woefully behind Nazi Germany's technologically superior planes. German designers had already flown the first jet, but the genius and ingenuity of innovators on both sides of the Atlantic closed the gap. They produced planes such as the Chance Vought Flying Pancake (a saucer-shaped Naval fighter that could almost take of vertically), the Northrop MX-334 Flying Wing (a rocket-powered fighter with armoured wings designed to ram German bombers) and perhaps the biggest secret project outside the Manhattan project to build the atomic bomb, Churchill's plan to build a fleet of giant aircraft carriers made of ice, designed to act as floating airfields for the invasion of Japan.

This programme traces the development of the Japanese industry and its famous creations like the Nakajima K1-43 Oscar and the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, but the programme also exposes the frantic, top-secret programs to produce weapons that would have made these legendary planes seem tame by comparison - Helicopters, jet-bombers, rocket fighters and a huge, long-range aircraft designed to strike directly at the US west coast with biological weapons. We tell for the first time how the plans for Nazi jet and rocket aircraft were taken to Japan by submarine and how the Japanese converted these designs for their own use.

The innovative aircraft profiled in this programme include A.S. Moskalyov's plan for a supersonic delta-wing aircraft in the 1930s and Andrei Tupolev's long distance bomber that flew non-stop across the North Pole to California in 1937, and there are weirder Soviet planes including a flying tank prototype and a submarine-bomber that could land on water and then submerge to attack its prey. We also show rare footage of the MiG 1-270 rocket fighter and the MiG-8, a prototype that secretly tested swept-wings despite Stalin's order to concentrate on conventional aviation technology.

'The Untold Story' includes a remastered and revised version of the epic bombing raid PLUS footage of the triumphant return of the Belle to the United States. Extra footage features colour pictures of the first long distance raid on Ploesti in Romani as well as a full study of the development of the B17s and the B29s, the never produced Douglas B19 and the awesome U.S. build up of men and machines that finally defeated the Luftwaffe and vindicated the deadly policy of daylight bombing

Arguably the most advanced strike aircraft in the world today, the MiG 29's manoeuvrability and stability at high angles of attack makes it a formidable weapon. Developed in the sinister days of the cold war, the concept behind the MiG was to design and aircraft specifically for both offensive and defensive roles - a major departure from usual Soviet thinking.

This fast paced, action packed DVD features original and dramatic footage provided by British Aerospace and the Ministry of Defence to link with exclusive videotape taken of No1 (Fighter) Squadron's spectacular mass display of Harriers at Fairford's International Air Tattoo '96, as well as eavesdropping on briefing, kitting out and cockpit checks before a 'Four Ship' ground attach sortie from the home of the Harrier at RAF Wittering. Also, recorded for the first time at Boscombe Down Flight Test Centre, we show you the cockpit of the special 'fly-by' wire' Harrier created by the Defence Evaluations & Research Agency to test the new flight control system for the combat 'jump jets' of the future - the US/British Joint Strike Fighter.

Designed as an aircraft for the man in the street to buy and fly, Geoffrey de Havilland's extraordinary assemblage of wood, wire and tube is arguably the most loved and legendary aeroplane of the twentieth century. First built almost 70 years ago and flown by Amy Johnson on her epic flight to Australia, more than 400 of these extraordinary biplanes are still flying the world today.

1944 began an era of Sukhoi jet fighters - the SU-5, the SU-7 with its completely Soviet designed jet engine, the SU-9 and the SU-10, but to fall from favour in Soviet Russia was not difficult. Sukhoi was no exception and the Burea was closed down in 1949. In 1953 Stalin ordered its reinstatement, specifically to design a plane that would counter the American F-86 'Sabre'. Of the resulting fighters, the SU-15 remained in service for more than 30 years and was the aircraft responsible for shooting down the KAL 747 in 1983.

The comprehensive Channel 4 series offering exclusive access to the story of the construction of the world's biggest and heaviest airliner, told through the people who made it happen. The Airbus A380 is more advanced than any airliner that has flown before and can fly non-stop a third of the way around the world. It is three times as long as a blue whale and five times as heavy. The tip of the plane tail is as tall as an eight storey building. The four Rolls Royce engines, built in Derby, cost the same as four tons of solid gold.

Farnborough: Above & Beyond celebrates 100 years of powered flight and the pioneering spirit which put Britain at the forefront of aviation technology. This isn't a story so much about specific aircraft, but more about the research and development that went into flight technology, which in turn enabled various aircraft to be brought into service.

Experience the grace and beauty of this majestic aircraft from its early years to the current 603's re-build at its birthplace - AVRO, Woodford. With some never before seen vintage footage, together with current footage of the 603's restoration and interviews with ex-crew members, this video explores the Vulcan's pedigree and illustrious career.

The mighty Buccaneer was an aircraft apparently forged from solid steel by the gods themselves and though starting out as a rather underpowered beast went on to become the best-loved post-war attack aircraft in the UK . In bygone years 'Buccs' would be found screaming along at hedge-top height (or lower!) leaving behind deafened but happy admirers...Features rare archive footage and exclusive interviews with the people who designed and flew the plane giving a personal insight into the innovations, the testing and service life of this magnificent aircraft.

Using archive footage, dramatic reconstruction and interviews with war veterans, writer and director Oliver Tobias takes us back to the airfields creation, throughout the drama of the war years and ultimately to Lasham in the 21st Century, as a Boeing 757 arrives at ATC Lasham's maintenance base for its 18 month service. A skilled team of engineers and crew work around the clock over a 15 day period, totalling a number of 1,330 man hours. The aircraft successfully passes its rigorous service, having gone through numerous inspection processes; it is now free to fly.

In this programme, Brett Emeny, an experienced formation aerobatics pilot, takes us on a walk around of his aircraft followed by a cockpit tour. We then fly with Brett on an aerobatic sortie, firsly in formation with another Vampire flown by Paul 'Huggy' Hughan and then solo. Multiple cameras provide breathtaking coverage from in the cockpit, air-to-air and from the ground. An extra feature is a detailed look at the Goblin, an early production jet engine which makes interesting comparisons with the engines of today.

In this programme, we join the DC-3 airliner VH-MIN as it lands at Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia. The crew consists of Captain Jack Curtis, a seasoned veteran who has spent 7000 hours in the cockpit of the DC-3 and First Office Chris Lin, a young pilot at the beginning of his commercial flying career. A guided tour of the cockpit follows Jack making the point that apart from the autopilot, which has been removed, all the instruments and controls are exactly as they were on the original aircraft. Despite its age, VH-MIN is operated to the most exacting modern air transport standards. The only addition is GPS.

Designed in 1935 the PBY-5 Catalina served with distinction in both the Atlantic and Pacific theatres, as long-range maritime patrol bomber and air-sea rescue aircraft. Catalinas also pioneered air routes over vast tracts of empty oceans, sometimes staying in the air in complete radio silence, for more than 24 hours. After the war, Catalinas continued to serve as transport and water bombers, but numbers dwindled over the years and unfortunately only a handful of airworthy examples remain today. The aircraft featured in this DVD is one of them.

Features pilot point-of-view; take off and landing; Heads-Up-Display; dramatic air-to-air footage; pilot commentary; close-ups of the instrument panel; communications with Air Traffic Control; and a practice bombing mission with the RAF. Take a thrilling ride in the cockpit with the pilots of eight different aircraft ranging from the legendary Spitfire; to a commercial airline; to the spectacular modern jet-fighter, the SU-37.